Sword swallowing is not a mere illusion, but an impressive feat of mind over throat. How else can you get a real sword down your gullet without gagging? Turns out, like most things worth doing, it takes tim and practice to swallow a sword. The sword actually straightens the usually-wavy esophagus, pushing past super-vital organs such as the lungs and heart, all the way down to the sphincter leading into the stomachs and sometimes even going into the stomach itself! The trachea isn't any good for swallowing swords, mostly because it's not as flexible as the esophagus. Believe us, you don't want a hole in your windpipe -- just ask this guy.